dennis



(No Model.)

' J'. W. DENNS.

GUN WAD.

. Patented Mar. 18, 1884.

N. PETERS. mmm-Lnhognpher. www

i linterna Startins Parlant, @ENCE JAMES IV. DENNIS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR ONEIIALF TO WILLIAM HAMILTON, OF SAME PLACE..

@UNI-WAI).

SPECIFICATION forming' part` of Letters Patent No. 295,235, dated March 18, i884.

Application filed November 5, 1883. (No` model.)

To @ZZ 10710777/ t muy concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES W. DENNIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gun-Vads, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionhas reference to gun-wads,such as are used in cartridge-shells. As heretofore used, such wads,usually made of felt or paper material, are apt to become displaced by the shock and jar of iiringadjacent barrels in double-barreled weapons, and to prevent such displacement concave star-shaped pieces of thin sheet metal have been used ,which, when placed upon the wad and iiattened,were intended by their enlargement to project the peripheral points into the surrounding Wall'of the cartridge and form a holder for the wad.` The force, however, driving the points outward,be ing applied at or near the center ofthe concave circle or star, is transmitted thence radially so far as often to cause the buckling of the metal without forcing the points into the carfridge. Moreoventhe holder having no connection with the Wad, it derives no strength therefrom. For these and other reasons this device has proven, in many cases, inefficient, besides being from its form troublesome to pack and transport, and also to place in position for use.

My present invention is intended to remedy these difficulties; and it consists, primarily, in a novel form and construction of a sheet-meta wadholder.

It further consists in a combined wad and wad-holder; audit further eonsistsin novel constructi'ons of wads, introducing: other functions rendered possible by such general combination, all as hereinafter more fully described.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan View and corresponding cross section of my improved wad-holder detached. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical cross'section of a loaded cartridge,

showing the outer Wad and holder in position, ready for the flattening process; Fig. 3, a similar cross-section, showing the wad-holder flattened and expanded; Fig. 4, an under plan view and correspondingcross-section of an annular wad combined with a wadholder designed to concentrate the load of shot in firing; and Fig.

the margin as to expand the entire margin uniformly into the surrounding wall of the cartridge. To facilitate this expansion, a number of radial cuts,b,are made in the metal disk from its outer margin into the annular groove-usually four or eight7 at equal distances, are suiiicient. W hen used, it is further desirable that the disk A should be firmly united withv the wad B, andA this may be accomplished by making angular cuts, at c, through the metal, and turning down the po1nts c', which, in the flattening process,sink into the substance of the wad B and secu re the disk thereto; or thesame result may be accomplished by perforating the metal disk, as at d, and securing the disk to the wad by a tack, d', passing through such perforation, of which there maybe one or more.

Although the disk A may be used separately, it is far more convenient to permanently unite the same with the wad, as an article of manufacture ready forimmediate use, requiring only the expansion of the disk by ramming and attening the groove after the wad is in position. Such construction is rendered possible by the form ofthe disk and the provision for union with the wad, and constitutes an important advantage over the ordinary concave disk. This combination, moreover, renders it possible to construct the combined wad and holder in the forms shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In the first of these the wadB is perforated, preferably, with a central conical perforation, as shown, the metal disk thus serving as an upper wall to the perforation, and being secured to the wad by tacks d', or otherwise, around the perforation, constitutes a strengtheningbrace throughout. In the ramming process, the shot is forced upward, filling the perforation, and when the load is discharged the effect is to concentrate the fire. In the construction shown in Fig. 5, the reverse effect is attained IOO by perforating the Wad atthe margin, thereby separating the shot and increasing the quaitity at the margin and diminishing it centrally, the disk, as before, serving as a strengtheningsupport and as an outer Wall for holding the shot. Y

Theforln and arrangement ofthe perforations may be varied, as will be obvious, Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The combined Wad thus deseribed may be used with advantage in the ordinary loading of gun-barrels, the expansion ot' the metal disk against the barrel Causing the wad to bet-ter retain its place, and the metal thus'forniing a scraper in its exit through the barrel, tending to keep the barrel elean.

Having described myinventiomelaim and desire -to seoure byv Letters Patent- 1. A holder for gun-Wads, consisting of aat sheet-metal disk having an annular groove at or near the margin, and adapted to be secured to the wad in using, and expanded by flattening, substantially as set forth. Y 2. A combined gun-wad and holder, consisting of' a wad of paper or soft material having united therewith a tlat metal disk provided with an annular groove adapted to be expanded bythe ramming process against or into the Wall oi' the cartridge or barrel, substantially as set forth.

3. The improved gun-Wad, consisting of a paper or felt wad perforated eentrall y or man ginally, and provided with a sheet-metal disk kunited therewith at one ot' its outer surfaces,

Witnesses: L. M. Hosna,

S. OsBoRNE. 

